When we first embarked on this crazy hair-brained scheme that is now a fully fledged, real-life business, we could not have imagined how moving it would be to see others showing off their versions of our pattern designs. In this new series - Sew us yours! - we will be showcasing your wonderous creations and having a little nosey into what inspired you and how you made it yours. First up we have the Brazilian beauty that is Rachel Pinheiro, and her fantastical take on the Charlotte Skirt...

The girl - Rachel Pinheiro

Her blog - House of Pinheiro (see Rachel's original post here)

The pattern - The Charlotte Skirt

Tell us a bit about the fabric you chose... and did your finished skirt live up to how you'd imagined it?

I normally choose the fabric first and then try to match with a pattern. For the charlotte skirt, I wanted to really emphasise the hourglass silhouette so the fabric had to be medium weight, with a lot of body. The most suitable fabric I had on my stash was a lovely Alice in Wonderland print that I had acquired from a fellow blogger/sewist. The challenge next was to fit the pattern in the 2 small pieces I had. That's where most of the design changes happened.

Yes, I felt the skirt was lovely to sew. I'm a big fan of feminine pieces and the final item is very sweet.

What inspired the unique shape you chose for your "lips" waistband and half-peplum?

The main inspiration for the waist band was to make the most of my body shape, making the waist appear smaller. Besides, it adds to the fun element that the print brings.

For half peplum, was design was the result of problem solving really, as I didn't have enough fabric and really want the peplum detail.

Would you make this pattern again? If so, how...?

Yes, should be fun to explore different variations.

I loved the length and If I had enough of the fabric I would had made my skirt longer with a work appropriate fabric.

Thanks for swinging by, Rachel! Your Charlotte Skirt is an absolute dream and we can't wait to see your future By Hand London makes!

*You don't have to have a blog to Sew us yours! If you'd like us to feature what you've made using a By Hand London sewing pattern, get in touch!! The thrill of seeing our patterns made up and out in the wild will never get old!*